PARNELL HALL: R.I.P.

This is an obit I hoped wouldn't need to be posted. Parnell Hall, the mystery community's funny, supportive, musical, generous, and all around good guy, passed away Tuesday. He'd been very ill, but we all thought and hoped he'd pull through. He even posted a very funny song and dance 'marketing' video two weeks ago from the hospital. Always the showman!

I will miss chatting with and 'listening' to Parnell at conventions and meetings. He always cracked us up. In honor of Parnell, I'm buying a copy of Chasing Jack, his latest book. You should, too!

Parnell Hall was born on October 31, 1944. His works include the Puzzle Lady and the Stanley Hastings series, as well as the screenplay to the 1984 cult classic C.H.U.D. Parnell collaborated with Manny Nosowsky for crossword puzzles and with Will Shortz for sudoku puzzles incorporated in Puzzle Lady stories. He also has written under the pen name J.P. Hailey, under which he wrote the Steve Winslow series. He co-authored Smooth Operator with Stuart Woods. But Parnell was so much more. 

This is my favorite Parnell Hall video. Everyone loved him. We will miss him.

And, the video of his famous song, Signing in the Waldenbooks.